Balboa Park rose garden

Early morning at Balboa Park.  I was lucky enough to get this photo of the bee exploring the rose.  The rose garden is beautiful this time of year with full blossoms on most of the  rose bushes.  If you are in the neighborhood, hope you will stop in.

At home with the camera ...

So, you've seen Balboa Park flower photos -- now for my backyard.   The last of the bottle brush blooms.  The bees love this plant!

The prickly pear has a few buds, but something is eating them, and by tomorrow morning they will probably be gone.   I thought this cactus was indestructible ... but I guess soft, tender buds like this are tempting to some critters.  But which ones?   Not sure what's attacking them, they are about 5 feet tall, so it can't be the bunnies.   Any guesses out there?

Water lilies

Water lily

More photographs from Balboa Park.

Balboa Park ... again

Water lilies and lotus flowers in bloom.  I ran down there this morning (7 AM!)  before the crowds arrived and had a blast.    My own private park.   Here's two photos from the morning trek. What do you think of the frame around the second photo.  

Peonies

More flowers.  Peonies are in season and I couldn't resist these.

Thanks  Carol Leigh for the information on making the frames.

Birthday party at the Safari Park

Keepers are decorating.

Monroe likes his cake.  

Monroe is one (well tomorrow is the official day) but the Park is celebrating his birthday for 3 days!      I couldn't miss a party like this one.    The keepers did a great job of decorating, using all the handmade toys that the volunteers made.   Check out that zebra, and the castle with colorful balloons (all non-toxic supplies used).

Monroe was busy checking everything out, but one of the female gorillas went right for the "cake."  The cake was all ice and veggies and maybe some other kind of treats frozen in there too.  There were treats hidden all over their area for all the gorillas, and they seemed to have a great time.

I know everyone watching did!

Happy Birthday (tomorrow) Monroe!

A walk in the park ...

Yesterday my neighbor & I went to the Safari Park for a morning walk.   We checked out the Ephyllium Greenhouse (not too many  blooms here), then walked up the hill to The Baja Gardens where there are lots of plants in bloom now.  The mathilda poppy is a favorite flower and the bush here at the Park was huge and full of flowers.  I was lucky enough to get the bee in action on this one, plus some other little critter on the flower.

Abstract flowers

Whenever I'm photographing flowers, in addition to more traditional shots,  I always try for the abstract.   It's all about persistance for me, what looks good on the camera LCD, doesn't always look good on the computer screen.  So I'll shoot a lot, playing with different focusing spots,  then go look at them on the big screen.   And repeat, many times, until I find one or two I'm happy with.  

I'm posting two tonight that worked for me.  

Playdate with Paige

Wednesdays are my days with Paige.  I usually give her a few choices of activities for the day, and somedays  we go out and explore, but today she wanted to hang out and do "art projects."   Today she wanted to use a cardboard box that Mom had in a back room.  With Mom's permission, we made a "room" and loft  out of this box.   The process was fun -- I was more an observer (& photographer) and "helper/assistant".    Paige knew what she wanted and most of the time gave clear direction.  But she was, also, open to suggestion.  I loved her use of color throughout the process.  That was her choice!  She loved the steps to the loft that I suggested and wanted to decorate them.  Can you see the skylight we have over the loft (Saran wrap)?   So many special touches.   A fun project -- fun stuff!   I love our Wednesdays  together!

Peggy Sue's Diner

On our way home from Las Vegas a few weeks ago, Terry & I stopped for lunch at a 50's diner (Peggy Sue's), it's about 10 miles north of Barstow on the I-15.   Worth a stop if you are in the area, food was OK, but photo opportunities terrific.

Our waitress was happy to pose for us by Elvis.

Walk on the beach

My neighbor, Lilian, and I walked the  beach yesterday.   The beautiful blue skies and puffy clouds, though, soon turned to gray, and the wind picked up.  It didn't slow us down, we put our jackets on and kept right on walking.

Heart-shaped rock was a lucky find.  

Day lily profile

Just one photo tonight, I really liked this photo of the day lily series I've been working on.

Hope you do too!

More calla lilies

Variations on a theme:  calla lilies!   How can I walk by a flower market and not bring these home?

So glad I did, because the light was good this afternoon in my macro studio (also known as the kitchen), and I enjoyed photographing these beauties!

iPhone Hipstamatic, Dali